‘Super El Niño’ could bring wet winter and flooding to western US, climate scientists warn
Climate scientists warn that a strong 'Super El Niño' event is expected to persist through early 2027, likely causing a wet winter and increased flooding risks in the western United States. Models suggest a high probability of above-average rainfall for coastal California.
Why it matters
Predicting extreme weather patterns is critical for disaster preparedness and infrastructure management in vulnerable coastal regions.
El Niño-generated storm waves crash onto seaside houses at Mondos Beach, California, on 12 January 2016./Getty Images El Niño-generated storm waves crash onto seaside houses at Mondos Beach, California, on 12 January 2016./Getty Images US weather ‘Super El Niño’ could bring wet winter and flooding to western US, climate scientists warn Weather system tied to warming sea surface expected to intensify in fall and winter, persisting until early spring 2027
Prefer the Guardian on Google El Niño , a recurring climate phenomenon marked by above-average sea surface temperatures, when changes in wind patterns allow warmer water to spread across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, could spell a wet winter for portions of the western and south-eastern US, climate models show. Coastal areas may be at elevated risk of flooding, experts warn.
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